The Tongue - Edition #22: Smooth Talk

April 29th, 2006

The Tongue – Edition #22: Smooth Talk

Bill Gates is hanging out with the chairman of General Motors. “If automotive technology had kept pace with computer technology over the past few decades,” boasts Gates, “you would now be driving a V-32 instead of a V-8, and it would have a top speed of 10,000 miles per hour. Or, you could have an economy car that weighs 30 pounds and gets a thousand miles to a gallon of gas. In either case, the sticker price of a new car would be less than $50.”

“Sure,” says the GM chairman. “But would you really want to drive a car that crashes four times a day?”

Proverbs 7:1-27
My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you. Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart. Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call understanding your kinsman; they will keep you from the adulteress, from the wayward wife with her seductive words. At the window of my house I looked out through the lattice. I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who lacked judgment. He was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the direction of her house at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in. Then out came a woman to meet him, dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent. (She is loud and defiant, her feet never stay at home; now in the street, now in the squares, at every corner she lurks.) She took hold of him and kissed him and with a brazen face she said: “I have fellowship offerings at home; today I fulfilled my vows. So I came out to meet you; I looked for you and have found you! I have covered my bed with colored linens from Egypt. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon. Come, let's drink deep of love till morning; let's enjoy ourselves with love! My husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey. He took his purse filled with money and will not be home till full moon.” With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk. All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life. Now then, my sons, listen to me; pay attention to what I say. Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths. Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a mighty throng. Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death.

And then the she opened a laundry shop with a note outside: “Drop your clothes here for best results!” But really, it just isn’t about the typical purity that we all think of, it’s about sin in general. Persuasive words lead to murder, stealing, adultery, war, lies, and the like. It’s not only be careful what you say, but be careful what you hear. Be careful what you listen to. It’s important to pay attention to what the bible says, and not what a person says. Heck, even if you are reading this, don’t even believe what I am writing, look it up for yourself! I beg you! It’s important to have your own convictions.

James 1:19-27
My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it - he will be blessed in what he does.

If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

It is important to not have a religion that is worthless. Do I want to worship in vain?

James 1:26 Worthless:
mataios
mat'-ah-yos
Empty, that is, (literally) profitless, or (specifically) an idol: - vain, vanity.

James 1:19 Listen:
akouō
ak-oo'-o
A primary verb; to hear (in various senses): - give (in the) audience (of), come (to the ears), ([shall]) hear (-er, -ken), be noised, be reported, understand.

James 1:23 Listen:
akroatēs
ak-ro-at-ace'
akroaomai (to listen); a hearer (merely): - hearer.

I would have to say that James is my favorite book of the bible… although I haven’t spent much time in it of late. I like how he was called “Camel Knees” back in his day, because he prayed so much. He would just drop down and pray anywhere. I guess that is where Saint Patrick got the idea. I don’t know. It’s important to be quick to listen to people. But I think it is even more important to be quick to listen to God’s word. There was an “age old battle” within a Yahoo Group that I am in, which discussed salvation. And in it, there was a case of baptism and faith. And one that was left out was grace. And in fact, all three play a factor. You can be saved without one, and just one can’t save you alone. It’s like the trinity, the father, son, and holy spirit, all three make one. You can’t have one without the other two being there… well, you could, but it wouldn’t be as fun, I guess (with the heavenly trinity, not the baptism, faith, and grace – you can have these separately all you want and get nowhere all day. It’s when they are together that counts.). Johnny Out.